Baking with Children

I've been asked to make some Christmas bakes with Kelloggs Rice Krispes that would be fab to bake with children. This has really inspired me. I loved baking with my boys when they were small and I'm so happy to say they all really enjoy cooking now. They are really adventurous in the kitchen, in fact far more so than I was at their ages. I think it is an amazing way to spend time with your children, it gives you an interest together which for me is so important and actually a fun and reasonable cheap way to entertain them. I have such wonderful memories of baking with my nan and I hope my boys and nieces will have those same sort of memories with me.

1, In a freestanding mixer beat butter and sugar together until light andfluffy2, Add the egg and vanilla bean paste. Mix until combined.3, Add flour, baking powder, salt and rice krispies. Beat until a nicedough.4, Turn out onto clingflim, wrap and chill for an hour, or until firm enoughto roll.5, Roll out on a floured piece of parchment, transfer onto baking trays andchill the unbaked cookies in the fridge for 15-20 mins.6, Bake for 10mins depending on cookie size, leave to cool on trays.

To decorate, move to wire racks, drizzle melted milk chocolate in verticaldrizzles across the cookies, then sprinkle with gold sprinkles or dust with icing sugar.

Rice Krispie Snowmen

I think these little guys will look great at a children’s christmas tea party

200g Rice Krispies

400g white Marshmallows

50g butter

6 melted marshmellows

a handful of currants

strips of jelly sweets

300g fondant (either 2 different colours 200g for the hats & scarfs 100g for scarfs and noses or white and 2 gel colours)

some sprinkles for buttons

1, Melt butter and marshmallows in a heat proof bowl in the mirco (about 60-90 seconds)

or melt butter in a pan until melted then add marshmallows until melted

2, Add to rice Krispies in a large bowl ( I used a washing up bowl that I keep for big volumes)

3, Use an Ice-cream scoop to get the body shapes, with buttered hands compact together, set a side.To make the heads, roll smaller amounts with buttered hands, set a side to firm.

4, To make fondant hats, Roll out coloured fondant, about half a centimeter cut 8 circles using a small round cutter (about 4cm) then shape a little top of the hat, glue together with a little water. Make 16 sausages of fondant then twist together to make scarfs. Shape 8 carrot noses.

5, ‘Glue’ the snowman head and body together using the melted Marshmellow, then cut 8 currants in half for his coal eyes, these should easily stick in place, then add 3 sprinkle buttons along his body, lastly add his hat, scarf and carrot nose.